Page 56 of Defending Van

3:07 A.M.

It took enormous willpower not to cower into Van’s arms and give away the fact that this man was safe to her. That he wasn't the man who worked for the organization that had trafficked her and come here to find her and return her. But instead, he was the man who had come all this way not just to save her, but to save the hundreds or thousands of women who would fall victim to Azure if they weren't stopped.

Destroyed.

Because nothing less was acceptable.

So Makayla made her body look stiff instead of curling into Van’s strength and warmth. She made it look like she couldn’t wait to be anywhere but here.

“Yes, indeed, I was missing something,” the man who had bought her, whose name she now knew was Asahi Watanabe, said as he strolled across the foyer toward her. He was at the tail end of middle-aged, heading toward old age. His dark red silk pajamas were clearly expensive, and although it was the middle of the night and they’d obviously woken him, his thick black and gray hair was neatly combed, and he was wearing a pair of glasses perched on his nose.

“Found her in the forest. She stabbed one of my men,” Van said, that same emptiness back in his voice that she remembered from when she’d first met him.

Behind her Lefty growled, and caught by surprise at the angry sound from a guy she knew from spending just a few hours with him, was an absolute sweetheart, who his wife Kinley was lucky to have, she flinched. Even though her brain knew he was just playing his role as the mercenary hired by Azure to travel to Japan and hunt for her, her body took a moment to catch on.

Asahi Watanabe chuckled. “Heard that she stabbed someone.” Although amused, his tone was also slightly dismissive. It was clear that he thought the Delta Force team, who he thought were mercenaries, were beneath him, nothing more than hired help.

Which thinking of hired help, it didn't look like he was all that angry with her for killing one of his maids. Or maybe he was, and he was just putting on a front of his own, not wanting someone who worked for the trafficking ring he owned to focus on his failures.

And letting her escape was indeed a failure on his part. Something that never should have happened. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that she would be punished for escaping, probably before Van and the others had what they needed and got her out.

“She was injured herself?” Asahi Watanabe asked, nodding to her bandage-covered feet.

“Cut them up running,” Van said, and out of the corner of her eyes, she could see him giving one of those creepy smiles of his.

They were going to have to have a talk about those smiles. When he smiled normally, he was so handsome. His smiles were rusty because it was obvious he hadn't had much to smile about in his life, but there was a genuineness to them. These smiles were just unpleasant, and she didn't like seeing them.

“You treated them?” Asahi Watanabe asked, stopping beside them, and eyeing her like she was some sort of bug to be experimented on.

“Cleaned and bandaged. Didn't want the dirt getting in, setting off infections. After all, you own her, I'm sure you want to get your money’s worth,” Van said smoothly. As though that was all it had been, and not like he’d held her on his lap, soothing her, as Doc had cleaned those wounds with a gentleness that had made the experience slightly more bearable.

Asahi Watanabe chuckled again. “Didn't have to pay a penny for her. One of the perks of being top dog.”

Makayla tensed. This was what they’d all assumed, but hearing the man admit it was both terrifying and exhilarating. As the head of Azure, even if he was hands-off, it meant he wasn't going to like being shown up by her escaping from him. No wonder he’d wanted Azure to send someone to search for her. Still, if he was the head of the ring, and yet he managed it from Japan, then there had to be something here in this house to prove it. The ledger Van had mentioned, and she was sure the guys could find it.

“I suspected, sir,” Van said respectfully. “Although Griffin didn't give me your connection to Azure, I did assume, and I'm happy we could find and return her to you.”

“You may put her down,” Asahi Watanabe said, and while she didn't see Van’s expression change, she felt him tense against her, not wanting to cause her pain.

But there was nothing he could do but follow the man’s order. From Asahi Watanabe’s point of view, she belonged to him because he’d used his position as head of Azure to acquire her, and Van worked for him. She knew that was the only reason he set her down, withdrawing a step back immediately, probably so it would look like she couldn’t reach out to him for support, but in reality, she knew it was so he wouldn't reach for her when his instincts demanded that he scoop her back up.

It had been hours since she’d last had to put pressure on her feet. In those hours, she’d somehow managed to forget just how painful it was to stand, to force all of those tiny little cuts to bear her entire body weight. Stopping herself from sucking in a pained breath was impossible, although she managed to keep from crying out by sheer force of will. Still, that one sound of pain was enough that she felt the protective energy of Van and the Delta Force team surging off the charts.

Thankfully, Asahi Watanabe seemed too preoccupied with her to notice. His gaze was probing, promising retribution even as his expression remained politely neutral. They stared each other down for a long moment before he caved and looked away first.

“I appreciate your efforts. I will ensure you are all well compensated for your time,” Asahi Watanabe said, clearly dismissing everyone.

“We’d like to spend the rest of the night here if it’s not too much of a bother,” Van said, his tone polite yet firm, brokering no argument even though he had no control over who Asahi Watanabe allowed to spend the night in his home.

After a brief hesitation that made it clear the man didn't want to agree, he nodded. “Yes of course. It would be my pleasure to offer hospitality after you have done me such a great favor.”

Thank goodness for the Japanese and their need to be polite. Makayla was pretty sure if they’d been in any other country, with any other people, the answer would have been a resounding no.

“Yua will show you to rooms you can use. You can depart after breakfast,” Asahi Watanabe said, nodding to the woman who had let them in, who was still standing quietly by the door. It was a clear reminder that he wanted them here for the minimum amount of time possible.

Was that enough time for the guys to find evidence?

It would have to be, because there was no way they would get a second chance to gain access to this property.